Flotation vest having an integral work surface

Abstract

A fishing vest is provided having a degree of flotation to assist the angler in the water and also having an auxiliary pack located in the front of the vest which provides an integral and portable work surface for creating or repairing fishing flies and lures and also provides integral storage for tools and fishing tackle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flotation vest comprising:
 a body comprising a back portion and a front portion, said front portion comprising a first front panel releasably connected to a second front panel by a front zipper so that the first front panel is wholly separable from the second front panel along a closure axis of the front zipper; and   an auxiliary pack connected to the front portion, the auxiliary pack comprising:
 a back section; 
 a front section hingedly connected to a bottom of the back section; 
 a closure for closing the front section and the back section; and 
 a retainer connecting the front section and the back section at locations other than the bottom of the back section; 
 wherein the front section is movable between a closed configuration in which the back section and the front section are connected to each other by the closure and an open configuration in which the front section is rotated forward and down from an orientation of a wearer of the flotation vest about the hinged connection at the bottom of the back section and is retained from moving further downward by the retainer whereby the front section can be used as a work surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a first side of the auxiliary pack is hingedly connected to the first front panel of the body and a second side of the auxiliary pack is releasably connected to the second front panel of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the first side of the auxiliary pack is releasably connected to the first front panel of the body. 
     
     
         4 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary pack is located over the front zipper when the second side of the auxiliary pack is connected to the second front panel of the body. 
     
     
         5 . A flotation vest comprising:
 a body portion comprising a back portion and a front portion, said front portion comprising a first front portion releasably attached to a second front portion by a fastener so that the first front portion is wholly separable from the second front portion when the fastener is fully released; and   an auxiliary pack comprising:
 a back section releasably attached to the front portion of the body portion; and 
 a front section rotatable from the back section to create a work surface, wherein at least a portion of the auxiliary pack overlies the fastener when the back section of the auxiliary pack is releasably attached to the front portion of the body portion. 
   
     
     
         6 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said auxiliary pack further comprises at least one retainer for maintaining said work surface in a generally horizontal orientation with respect to the back section. 
     
     
         7 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary pack is wholly removable from the body portion. 
     
     
         8 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the back section is hingedly attached to said front section, the work surface being rotatable between a closed configuration and an open configuration by rotating the work surface about the hinge. 
     
     
         9 . A flotation vest comprising:
 a body portion comprising a back portion and a front portion;   a work surface hingedly attached to the front portion, the work surface being rotatable between a closed configuration and an open configuration by rotating the work surface about the hinge; and   at least one retainer for maintaining said work surface in a generally horizontal orientation with respect to the front portion when the work surface is in the open configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the work surface is wholly removable from the body portion. 
     
     
         11 . The flotation vest as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said front portion comprises a first front portion releasably attached to a second front portion by a fastener so that the first front portion is wholly separable from the second front portion when the fastener is fully released; and
 wherein at least a portion of the work surface overlies the fastener when the work surface is in the closed configuration.